Phipps offers Garden and Landscape Symposium

’Tis the season to grow, and on April 20, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Penn State Extension and Shady Side Academy will present the annual Western Pa. Garden and Landscape Symposium from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Hillman Center for Performing Arts. Open to gardeners of all skill levels, the day of insightful lectures, plus shopping at Garden Marketplace, is a must-attend event for plant lovers.

Sharing a wide range of practical knowledge on topics as diverse as beneficial bugs and flowering shrubs to contemporary design with native perennials, this year’s line-up of expert presenters includes:

• Whitney Cranshaw, a Colorado State University professor who specializes in pests and problems affecting Rocky Mountain plants, will educate students on various entomological topics. His books include “Garden Insects of North America,” “Pests of the West” and the forthcoming “Bugs Rule!”

• Kerry Mendez, an expert on low-maintenance perennial gardening and landscaping, works as a marketing professional, consultant, designer, writer, teacher and lecturer. She is the author of “The Ultimate Flower Gardener’s Top Ten Lists” and “Top Ten Lists for Beautiful Shade Gardens.”

• Thomas Rainer, a landscape architect, teacher and writer, advocates for designs that interpret nature and feature native plants. He has designed garden landscapes nationwide, including those at the U.S. Capitol, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and The New York Botanical Garden.

• R. William Thomas, executive director of Chanticleer near Philadelphia, leads the development of the young garden using an environmentally sensitive and multi-century approach. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in ornamental horticulture from University of Wisconsin-Madison.

• Joseph Tychonievich, nursery manager for Arrowhead Alpine, has a love of plants that once sent him to Japan to work for Akira Shibamichi. He is the author of “Creating New Heirlooms: A Gardener’s Guide to Breeding Plants” and holds a B.S. in horticulture from Ohio State University.

Preregistration is required and available by calling 412-441-4442 ext. 3925. Tickets are $115; price includes continental breakfast and lunch. A special early bird workshop on growing alpines and miniature plants is also available for an additional $12.